Memorandum Italy-Norway on observation of solar phenomena

The Italian Embassy in Oslo has hosted today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding within the framework of the project Solaris, which has as its object the observation of solar phenomena and space weather. Solaris is a scientific and technological project between institutions Italian research and universities with the aim of developing an intelligent, high-frequency monitoring system radio of solar phenomena, based on imaging techniques "single-dish". The MoU aims to create two new points of observation near Tromsø, in northern Norway, and in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, which is will add to the Solaris radio telescopes already present in Antarctica. The signing ceremony was held at the Residence of Ambassador Stefano Nicoletti and saw the participation of all the project partners, namely INAF and the University of Milan Studies on the Italian side and the University of Oslo, the Geophysical Observatory of the University of Tromsø and the Centre University of Svalbard on the Norwegian side. They were present three representatives of Nosa, the Agency, also attended the ceremony Norwegian Space Agency, a testament to the attention paid from local scientific authorities towards new and profitable collaborations with Italy. "I welcomed the request of the parties to the MoU to host the signing ceremony of this important new piece in the field of scientific and spatial relations between Italy and Norway", commented Ambassador Stefano Nicoletti: "In recent times we have witnessed a consolidation of existing collaborations between our two countries and the opening of new significant channels of dialogue in space sector. This is demonstrated by the mission of companies and institutions Italians in the sector in Norway last June and the very recent visit of the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edmondo Cirielli, at the Spaceport on And›ya Island, in the north of the Country, a strategic infrastructure in the process of being completed for to promote an autonomous European access to space". "Statale is proud to stand alongside Norway for this important Memorandum of Understanding on solar phenomena and space meteorology. This is about themes developed at a high level by our Department of Physics: this agreement confirms the character research intensive of our research and its breath international", commented the Rector of the University of Milan, Marina Brambilla.